With many of you purchasing your first hot tub or re-opening your hot tub for the season, you may need a 101 on spa care.
There are 6 necessities of spa care and maintenance.
- Circulation – Good water circulation will help prevent contaminants from becoming problems. Properly circulating spa care products will keep the water inciting and ready for soaking. Be sure to run your spa’s circulation system every day.
- Filtration – Many spa issues are caused by poor filtration. when the filter is dirty and clogged, debris stays in the water. Because spa filters trap many contaminants, cleaning has two steps: spraying off loose debris, then using a chemical filter cleaner. This will remove oils and other contaminants embedded into the filter. Clean your spa filter monthly.
- Cleaning – Contaminants such as dirt, oil, and even bacteria can accumulate at the waterline. Regular cleaning preserves spa surfaces and prevents unsightly waterline buildup.
- Draining and Refilling – Regular draining and refilling is a normal part of spa maintenance. Over time, the water absorbs and dissolves minerals, chemicals, and other soluble material. This is called Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). A high level of TDS can make the water look dull, become foamy, and develop an odor.
- Chemistry – There are two primary components that affect spa water quality: sanitizer (chlorine or bromine) residual, and pH. When both are within their recommended ranges, your water is comfortable, protected, and clear. Sanitizers and shock products work efficiently and spa surfaces and equipment are protected.
- Testing – The chemistry of your spa water needs to be checked regularly. Maintaining proper levels will make the water clear and comfortable, kill bacteria that can multiply rapidly in a spa, protect spa surfaces from stains caused by metals, and protect spa equipment from scale.
Now that we’ve gone over the 6 Must-Do’s, let’s take a deeper look at chemical maintenance.
The most commonly used sanitizers for spa maintenance are Chlorine and Bromine. Here are the steps for each.
Chlorine Spa Startup and Maintenance
Run the filter several hours daily.
A proper maintenance schedule for spas depends largely on how often the spa is being used and by how many people. Follow the basic guidelines below for caring for your chlorinated spa.
Sanitize:
It is important to maintain a free chlorine residual of 3 – 5 ppm at all times. When first starting a spa with Chlorine, test the free chlorine residual frequently to determine how often you will need to apply product. Add the appropriate amount of Chlorinating granules per label directions with the pump running. Circulate 2 hours, then retest the free chlorine residual. Adjust as needed.
We do not recommend using chlorine tablets in your spa. Chlorine tablets are made of Trichlor, and are very acidic (coming in at a pH of about 2.8.) They also add Cyanuric Acid (CYA) to the spa water. This is needed in pools to protect the chlorine from sunlight, but not in covered spas. If the CYA level gets too high, your chlorine will not work as effectively.
Oxidize:
Spas contain a small amount of water relative to pools. Each person who enters the spa has far fewer gallons of water to share than the same number of people in a pool. And each person who enters the spa introduces cosmetics, perspiration, and other undesirable compounds into the water. Because of this, shocking should be frequent.
A shock treatment should be applied following each spa use. If the spa is not being used for a long period of time, shock weekly. Chlorine granules, non-chlorine shock, or chlorine shock can be used for maintenance oxidizing. Many spas are equipped with ozonators, which help eliminate some insoluble compounds, but periodic shocking is still necessary.
After shocking, do not use the spa until the chlorine residual drops to 5 ppm or lower.
Balance:
Spa water must be balanced to prevent equipment corrosion and surface damage. To balance the spa, test your water with strips, a drop kit, or bring a sample in for a free comprehensive water analysis. Follow product recommendations for your size spa. Maintain pH between 7.4 – 7.6 at all times. Add balancing products with the aeration off.
Clean:
Rinse the cartridge filter off periodically, and chemically clean the cartridge monthly. The following formula is a good rule of thumb for estimating when to drain the spa.
Spa volume / 3 / average daily bather load = number of days between drains
When cleaning the sides of the spa after draining, avoid using any abrasive chemicals or materials to not damage the shell surface.
Bromine Spa Startup and Maintenance
Run the filter several hours daily.
A proper maintenance schedule for spas depends largely on how often the spa is being used and by how many people. Follow the basic guidelines below for caring for your brominated spa.
Sanitize:
It is important to maintain adequate total bromine residuals. This varies depending on the product you are using.
Brominating Tablets
- Residential Spas using Brominating Tablets should maintain 2 – 4 ppm total bromine residual.
- Commercial Spas using Brominating Tablets should maintain 4 – 6 ppm total bromine residual.
- When starting with a fresh fill, fill up the feeder or floater with Brominating Tablets according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Shock the spa using Brominating Concentrate or Chlorinating Concentrate according to label instructions to eliminate undesirable compounds and establish a sanitizer residual. Adjust the feed or flow rate for the Brominating Tablets and test frequently for the first week. Shock as needed until the proper bromine residual can be established and maintained for several days.
Brominating Concentrate
- Spas using Brominating Concentrate should maintain 3 – 6 ppm total bromine residual.
- When starting with a fresh fill, add the appropriate amount per label directions for the initial dose with the pump running. Test frequently the first week and add Brominating Concentrate as needed to establish and maintain 3 – 6 ppm total bromine residual.
Oxidize:
A shock treatment should be applied following each spa use. If the spa is not being used for a long period of time, shock weekly. Brominating Concentrate, Chlorinating Concentrate, non-chlorine shock, or chlorine shock can be used for maintenance oxidizing. Many spas are equipped with ozonators, which help eliminate some insoluble compounds, but periodic shocking is still necessary.
After shocking, do not use the spa until the bromine residual has dropped to 8 ppm or lower.
Balance:
Spa water must be balanced to prevent equipment corrosion and surface damage. To balance the spa, test your water with strips, a drop kit, or bring a sample in for a free comprehensive water analysis. Follow product recommendations for your size spa. Maintain pH between 7.4 – 7.6 at all times. Add balancing products with the aeration off.
Clean:
Rinse the cartridge filter off periodically, and chemically clean the cartridge monthly. The following formula is a good rule of thumb for estimating when to drain the spa.
Spa volume / 3 / average daily bather load = number of days between drains
When cleaning the sides of the spa after draining, avoid using any abrasive chemicals or materials to not damage the shell surface.
If you have questions about how to maintain your spa that haven’t been addressed here, stop in with a sample and we will test your water for free, and answer all questions you may have.
